Dem leaders plan birthday-bash fundraiser for most famous colleague

posted at 2:00 pm on July 31, 2010 by Ed Morrissey

What do Democratic Party leaders get for the man who has singlehandedly put a corruption bullseye on the backs of his colleagues in competitive districts and refuses to step aside to give them cover? A birthday party, of course! And not just a birthday party to honor the man who will face the first House ethics trial in eight years, but a fundraiser for his campaign:

Democratic leaders and major party donors plan to hold a lavish 80th birthday gala for Charles Rangel at The Plaza Hotel in Manhattan next month, despite 13 ethics charges pending against the veteran lawmaker.

Lobbyists and other party donors received invitations this week to join Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and New York Gov. David Paterson at one of New York’s finest hotels to celebrate Rangel’s birthday.

Gubernatorial candidate Andrew Cuomo and New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg are also listed as featured guests, according to an invitation viewed by The Hill. …

While some Democrats think Rangel has become politically radioactive in Washington, the invitation lists a variety of enticements to get people to show up to his birthday bash and contribute to his campaign.

Aretha Franklin, the “Queen of Soul,” will serenade them and guests who pony up $200, $500, $1,000 or $2,500 for tickets. The funds will go to the Rangel Victory Fund, a campaign account.

With Adam Clayton Powell IV challenging Rangel in the primary, some may wonder why these big-name Democrats are choosing to raise funds for Rangel anyway. Why not let the primary play itself out first? Powell could pull off an upset and get them off the hook for Rangel’s multiple ethics violations and perhaps make the ethics trial moot.

The answer is that the money Rangel raises will not just stay with Rangel, although that may be somewhat less true in this cycle. The former chair of Ways and Means has long used his campaign funds to spread the wealth — and spread his influence. He gets Democrats elected in places where they may have had difficulty by dropping big transfers of cash into their coffers. Once they get elected, Rangel has IOUs that he can call in whenever he needs.

Basically, Schumer, Gillibrand, Cuomo, and Bloomberg are using Rangel to push money out to other Democrats as well as trying to rescue Charlie from himself. That’s something that voters should consider when these candidates run in their own elections. When it came down to it, they’re more interested in the money than in cleaning out corruption.

Oh, and the best part? As The Hill points out, Rangel’s birthday is actually June 11th, while this fundraiser is being held on August 11th.

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As I stated in the other thread, the RNC needs to be using this. Yes, letting the Dems destroy themselves is great, but somebody needs to get the word out and the main stream transciptionists aren’t going to do it.

Oh man. The HotAir virtual predator drones are warming up by themselves just on the thought of what I would like to write.

So instead I will just say that the time is coming to sweep the decks clean of these clueless, royalist scumbags. Vote them all out, all of them, every party, every ideology, and make them prove through deed and action that they are worthy of bringing back.

Ethics violations to the democrat party is a resume enhancement. It business as usual to them. The more that they can tax and the more they can steal is what the democrat party is all about. Good Time Charlie will get a slap on the wrist- look who is going to pass judgement- they are just as bad as good old Charlie. Schumer,Gillibrand,Cuomo,Bloomberg are no better than Charlie. Only one missing is Eliot Spitzer.

On the other hand Charlie has been a good steward to the people of his district and has helped create policies that have allowed a large majority of them to rise out of the depths of poverty over the last 40 years. Oh, wait.

Democratic leaders and major party donors plan to hold a lavish 80th birthday gala for Charles Rangel at The Plaza Hotel in Manhattan next month, despite 13 ethics charges pending against the veteran lawmaker.

Leave it to the democrats to demand honesty,ethics,and accountability from everybody but themselves.

I am sure the democrats have already worked out talking points with their journolist friends in the media….they are not worried about this at all.

Rangel and Waters will walk with little to no problems and then be treated like heroes from the same people who whine about cleaning up the “culture of corruption”.

I was reading about Waters corruption concerning propping up a bank that her husband had finical ties to.

Her defense was “he was no longer there when this monetary support came”.

……..Dick Cheney had been gone from Haliburton since the 90’s…….did that stop the democrats from whining and yelling about “Haliburton” kickbacks for 8 years.

democrats are so full of sh!t that they can’t even keep up with their own dishonesty and spin.

Basically, Schumer, Gillibrand, Cuomo, and Bloomberg are using Rangel to push money out to other Democrats as well as trying to rescue Charlie from himself. That’s something that voters should consider when these candidates run in their own elections. When it came down to it, they’re more interested in the money than in cleaning out corruption.

This is rich, Ed, in more ways than one. I know that this will never make to the MSM, as they are in bed with the corruptocrats. I’m sending this link to all my liberal friends and ask them how all this honest and open government is working for them. Draining the swamp indeed.

Anyone who spends 40 years in congress is certainly corrupt no matter the party affiliation. Term limits are in order. My idea is 2 for senate and 4 for the house. Of course it will never happen, but we can always dream. If I remember correctly, part of the Contract With America was term limits. Congress voted on it and turned it down by a huge majority.

So,the DNC is celebrating Rangels Criminal Corruption,
well,its going to be a early political wake of the Lib
eral Partys demise,cometh November!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Audacious Audacity spun into unmittigated gall,of in your face,we are untouchable,noth’n to see here,mind your
own dam* business and move it along,we are going to have a
big F”n deal here!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me thinks,a petition,and some manufactured picketing and
good ole’ fashion liberal style activism,from their play
book,and put a huge spotlight on this,just to make sure,
that everyone knows what kind of joke this is,and prot
est Rangels Office,flood the phone lines!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and the best part? As The Hill points out, Rangel’s birthday is actually June 11th, while this fundraiser is being held on August 11th

.

As they say close enough for government work.

With Obama math it is well within the margins of correct.

Lot of curious gosip in the air. Seems that the Clintons forgot to mail the Obama’s invitations to their daughters wedding, and gosh it is too late to make arrangments to accomdate them. Sad. Seems that is not a problem as Michelle suddenly remembers that the King and Queen of Spain invited her and a few of her friends to visit with them. That makes it an official visit so that we have to pay for her vacation, again. At least we are getting the best our money can buy for her. It was nice for Berry’s oldest daughter to remain behind with his bithday being during the time Michelle is in Spain and all that. I guess someone has to be there to tell him his is a great president and rehearse his lines with him. It is a bit curious as to why she did not go with her mother.

Wonder what he plans on doing for his birthday? Its a bad time for his progressive friends to be seen hanging out with him. Odds are that he quietly slips away for a bit of time in Spain on his birthday. After all we can afford to let him live like he is a king.

Randals birthday party is apparently yet another problem. Maybe that is why Berry is so negative towards Randal and wants him to get under the bus. My guess is Berry was not invited, again.

So we have Michelle (Berry) coming home from spain, repacking and heading of to the gulf coast where the little people vacation. Not a total loss as there are golf courses on the gulf coast and the beach will be sqeeky clean if the rest of the family should decided to hang out on a gulf side beach. Having been on a few gulf beaches I can not imagin why someone who dains themself to be rich and amoung the elite would do that. Most likely it will be off to shop.

Weekend is over, they will return to the whitehouse, repack and head off to Martha’s Vinyard for another vacation in the land of “if you have to ask how much, you can not afford it”. Too bad it will keep them from being around for Randles birthday celebration.

There is still three weeks left in summer so where to next? It then came to me that he should visti Bill Gates! Being the narcissist that he is, what could be better than walking into room and seeing all the art change to suit him and all the TV’s flipping to “The View” or his favorite sports channel. He can then go back to the Whie House and save or create some new jobs to give it the “Gates” treatment.

Most transparent Congress in history just means they don’t have to hide their lies and corruption because the American people are subjects and have no purpose but at election time. Then they present the kool-aid and the voters will swallow their swill like thirsty peasants. Remember their arrogance in NOvember.